Rating SEC OOC Opponents

[Wizard of Orange]

Okay, here's the deal. Rate the SEC's out of conference opponents in the order that you think they would finish by playing one anotheron a neutral site. I just picked out what I thought was the toughest OOC foe from each team - but included Fresno St and Ariz from LSU's sched.( couldn't decide which to drop)

Here's my best shot:
1. So Cal
2. Mich
3. Cal
4. Fla St
5. Clemson
6. Louisville
7. W Va
8. Colorado
9. Arizona
10. Fresno St
11. Mizzou
12. Hawaii
13. Wash St
Oh, yeah NO TIES ALLOWED. that's a cop out. Also, feel free to blast rival SEC schools for their pathetic OOC foes. :happy:

[AUFootball24]

You left Ga Tech on there who should be #6 on that list (with cal at #5 and WV at #4)

[rabidcock]

Yeah, I'd definitely say WVA at #4.

[blues_cap]

i'd say wva and louisville above cal and florida state above michigan. michigan, until they prove otherwise, are not what they used to be. louisville may have the best qb/rb tandem on the east coast(michael bush is a grown ass man).

[Wizard of Orange]

You left Ga Tech on there who should be #6 on that list (with cal at #5 and WV at #4)
Yeah, I took Colorado as GA's toughest foe over Ga Tech. I could've gone the other way, I guess.
However, you would have Ga Tech higher than Fla St and Clemson?

[Wizard of Orange]

I guess the way I was looking at it was: example- if Louisville played Cal on a neutral field, who would win? I guess I haven't been as impressed with W Va as you guys ( I know they had a very good half against Ga, but still...)

[blues_cap]

I guess the way I was looking at it was: example- if Louisville played Cal on a neutral field, who would win? I guess I haven't been as impressed with W Va as you guys ( I know they had a very good half against Ga, but still...)


what impressed me so much about wva was uga and everyone in the stands knew what was coming and they couldnt stop it.......and uga's defense was no joke last year.

i think louisville beats wva this year and i also think they would beat cal, even at berkely(yea, i think they are pretty darn good). we will see.

on a side note, let me say that i truly hate cal w/a passion, as noted on here before. they havent beaten a ranked team in 3 years and people still give them hype every year. the teams they beat last year went a combined 18-60...yep, that's what i said.

[GatorNation]

Okay, here's the deal. Rate the SEC's out of conference opponents in the order that you think they would finish by playing one anotheron a neutral site. I just picked out what I thought was the toughest OOC foe from each team - but included Fresno St and Ariz from LSU's sched.( couldn't decide which to drop)

Here's my best shot:
1. So Cal
2. Mich
3. Cal
4. Fla St
5. Clemson
6. Louisville
7. W Va
8. Colorado
9. Arizona
10. Fresno St
11. Mizzou
12. Hawaii
13. Wash St


If I'm understanding your list correctly, then #1 beats all the others, #2 beats everyone but USCW, etc....

If that's how it works, then I'd make the following changes:

1. uscw
2. cal
3. f$u
4. clemson
5. wvu
6. louisville
7. michigan
8. hawaii
9. fresno st.
10. cu
11. 'zona
12. mizzu
13. w-state

...but I could see upsets with 1/2, 3/4, 7/8, and 10/11. I think Cal, particularly, has a ton of talent. If they blow it, it's not because they aren't loaded. This could be the year USCW finally loses the Pac-10 title.

I also like Clemson to take their division, but I gave free-shoes the benefit of the doubt they'll be a more consistent team this year with a better defense.

I think Hawaii can score on anyone, and if they get some stops on defense, they'll finish well in the polls.

Colorado is in Hawkins' first year....new offense, new schemes, playcalling.....I think it takes more than one spring/summer to get up to speed. The big xii north isn't the SEC, but DH will have a learning curve moving into a BCS conference. Arizona impressed me last year against USCW....Mike Stoops has them headed n the right direction and an upset (over CU) is possible, but CU probably still has the better talent and a decisive edge in ST play.

[Wizard of Orange]

Not bad, GN. But, I really don't get Mich being so low.

[GatorNation]

Not bad, GN. But, I really don't get Mich being so low.


Not sold on Meechigan. Henne is streaky, Hart is injury-prone, and Big Blue always, always loses games they shouldn't. They should've wiped the turf with Nebraska in the bowl game. This is the same NU team that lost to Kansas (yes, the Fighting Manginos) by almost 40 points. This UM team is not mentally ready to win big ball games. I also think Lloyd Carr isn't a very good HC. He got a title in '97-8, but he had a #1 defense and all-everything, Heisman-winner Woodson to cover his arse.

OSU and Iowa--perhaps even PSU with a new QB--are better teams in the Big 10...they'll lose to ND as well.

If their defense really shines, I could see them at #6 MAYBE #5, shutting down the potent WVU running game, but my top-four teams, imo, are too balanced and talented for the Wolverines on a neutral field.

[WDavE]

Not that it is really important but why do most here rate Hawaii higher then Washington St.?

Hawaii went 5-7 in the WAC.
Washington St. 4-7 in the Pac-10

I look at Washington St. and see that they lost to
Stanford by 3 21-24
UCLA in OT by 3 21-44
Cal. by 4 38-42

I don't see that same kind of close games with Hawaii's schedule from last year against any quality opponents.

Both teams beat Idaho which was a common opponent and both lost big to USC.

Just wondering?

[GatorNation]

Not that it is really important but why do most here rate Hawaii higher then Washington St.?

Hawaii went 5-7 in the WAC.
Washington St. 4-7 in the Pac-10

I look at Washington St. and see that they lost to
Stanford by 3 21-24
UCLA in OT by 3 21-44
Cal. by 4 38-42

I don't see that same kind of close games with Hawaii's schedule from last year against any quality opponents.

Both teams beat Idaho which was a common opponent and both lost big to USC.

Just wondering?


Hawaii is going to lead the nation in passing offense (or at least clock in at #2 behind Texas Tech), and they have talented receivers in a potent, wide-open attack. I think they'd win a shootout. WSU gave up 31.5 ppg last season with nearly 300 yards/game through the air. Not good, even with 8 starters back. And like UT, I see a much better finish for the Warriors in '06. This isn't a reason, but I have them in a pick-em upset-special #1 (Cal over UT is #2) in week one.

I know, I know....that sounds totally crazy, and deep down, Bama will probably win, but I think this is a perfect trap-door game for the Tide. This UH offense is super explosive: 437 yards against USCW (with a 26-21 FD edge!), 359 against Michigan State (who beat ND), 556 against Boise State, 456 against Fresno St., and 443 against Wisconsin. They racked up 461 against Nevada, the co-WAC champs. UH has averaged over 30 ppg for the last 5 years.

The offensive has 9 returning starters, the OL returns two all-WAC players, and UH has seen Bama before: one win against the Tide ('03 with a close loss in 2002). Yes, those were down years in probabtion and all, but a win is better than a 70 point loss for one's confidence. They have experience in upsets: 72-45 throttling of #9 BYU (2001), 38-34 W over #18 Fresno St. (2001), and #14 bama 21-16 (as mentioned in 2002). All of this offense is not good news for a Bama defense that only returns four (6 of the 7 losses were 3-year starters).

The main problem has been the defense. But they cut their run defense by almost 100 yards from 2004 to 2005, and their DL is deep. The LBs took a hit, losing a lot of experience, but there is still quality. The secondary suffers losses, too, but there are some JUCOs coming in and a few academic reinstatement possibilities that will probably fill in some holes. Also, considering Bama will be relying on a sophomore QB in Wilson, a less experienced UH secondary may not prove to be the problem it could be in other games.

Also of note: Jerry Glanville is the new DC, so that coaching experience should prove valuable ....as does the early fall game in the south, which should fit right in with UH's preferred operating climate, and its timing: anything can happen in week one before all of the kinks are worked out.

The big negative....?

UH is 1-10 in road openers in the last 11 years.

But IF IF IF UH's defense proves serviceable against the run (and a young QB on the road) with Glanville's guidance, I think they have a realistic shot of pulling it out.

:eek:

[nooneLT]

we beat hawaii in '02.

and they haven't seen this type of defense. in '03 kines didn't use the 30 package, he used a basic 40 package.

it'll be texas tech all over. one of the things to point out about our defense this year. kines has been quoted in saying this spring that they may not know where to go yet, but they get there real fast. we have faster overall team speed on defense than last year. our DL is the best we'll have in the recent past. while we may only be returning 4 starters most of the starters this year will have had a decent amount of playing time last year.

[GatorNation]

we beat hawaii in '02....
You're right....I was looking at the W/L against the spread. Sorry.

I edited my post accordingly.

Also, not sure how it could be another Tech game considering the defensive losses for Bama. And because it's the first game of the season, with more than one week of film and package installation, UH will likely work up some gameplan for the 30.

Bama will probably win, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if there was an upset.

[nooneLT]

this year's defense can be as good as last year's defense. the only thing it needs is time and more reps. i would be totally shocked if we lost to hawaii, but i wouldn't be shocked if we allowed them points. if our LB's have already mastered their pass coverage it will be another texas tech game.

[WDavE]

I look for Bama to give Hawaii a steady diet of Darby to the left and then to the right...

Hawaii's big time offense might not see the field much.....

[GatorNation]

I look for Bama to give Hawaii a steady diet of Darby to the left and then to the right...

Hawaii's big time offense might not see the field much.....
I totally agree. UH has to stop Darby and make Bama one-dimensional, forcing Wilson to put the game in the air on his sophomore shoulders.

Stopping the run is even more important for UH than it is for other teams, especially in this game. But this could be the most underrated game in week one, imo, because even if UH can't stop Darby--and they probably can't--they can score and turn it into a final-play barnburner.

[Wizard of Orange]

WDave, good point on Hawaii vs. Wash St. I could've gone the other way just as easily.And started to be a real jerk and leave them both off as unworthy of discussion, blast the Bama schools for not having a better out of conference schedule, and generally start a ruckus amongst us.

However, I decided to show a little class and include them. OOOPS! I guess I just lost my "class" points, huh?

[WDavE]

Not a problem.... Like I have stated before, Auburn offered Mich. and Notre Dame home and home last year and both declined....

I agree somewhat about leaving them both off to begin with....Not worthy of discussion that is....